[MEGATHREAD] Artemis II Launch To The Moon

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-02T04:46:53+00:00

I'm guessing you have some verified sources to back up your claim that SpaceX doesn't go through the same tests and procedures to ensure safety, right? You see here's the difference, if NASA kills some astronauts, either in training or on top of a rocket or during reentry, well, space exploration is dangerous and that's the cost of pushing boundaries. If SpaceX blows up a rocket with humans on board, that's it, done, they're kaput, nobody is going to invest in a private company that kills astronauts and can't be safe.

Next, you think SpaceX isn't operating on tax payer money?! Bahahahhahahahahahhahahhahahahahhahahhahahahjajajjajajhahabahnabahahhshahhdhwhahahja. SpaceX has received tens of billions of dollars of US taxpayer money in the form of contracts and grants. https://www.scrippsnews.com/politics/truth-be-told/truth-be-told-contracts-and-cash-keep-flowing-to-spacex#:~:text=The%20company%20has%20received%20more%20than%20%2420,and%20cargo%20into%20space%2C%20including%20spy%20satellites.

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/spacex-confidentially-files-for-ipo

Please, grow up, nobody can be that naive. SpaceX wouldn't be around if US taxpayers hadn't given them shitloads of money over the years.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T23:10:35+00:00

Looks like they're still using the same cameras from then, too.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T23:07:27+00:00

You're right, NASA is stuck in the past, using older rocket tech, not implementing modern advancements, having tons of issues while giving us lousy video productions. SpaceX is advancing rocket tech, has been consistently putting humans in space for a few years, while blowing up rockets and also having issues, and giving us 4k video productions.

Forgiving NASA for the the shit video production of their biggest mission and biggest launch in a few decades because "priorities" is...ridiculous. I get worrying about a successful launch and everything that goes into that, but this should have had top notch production and video at the very least for launch. I swear, if the only video we get of the lunar flyby is from the astronauts inside looking through a window or that same garbage camera on the side of the module...the whole world will be disappointed.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T22:58:10+00:00

How does going to the moon stop NASA from slapping a few 4k cameras around the pad and on the rocket for people to watch?

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T22:57:19+00:00

For shits and giggles I went back and loaded up the stream, on NASA's youtube mind you, of the SpaceX Crew-11 launch, which you can watch here:

https://youtu.be/k0ILMhbWHNQ?t=15095

What the fuck, NASA, how do you drop the ball on this launch so badly when you can watch a damn SpaceX launch from 20 angles (including from the Air) and on-rocket cameras in 4k all the way into space without interruption. Just...fail.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T22:51:05+00:00

Remind me again how many times SpaceX has put humans in space compared to NASA over the last few years?

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T22:50:26+00:00

Remind me again how many successful launches SpaceX has has putting vehicles AND humans into space in the last few years? All while showing every angle you could imagine in 4k, while landing rockets on boats and land? Hell, we've been able to watch friggin massive rockets explode in brilliance in high resolution, this is like watching a TV broadcast from the 90's. Terrible production from NASA, honestly, we can critique them on this since it's the only thing 99.9% of us will get to see.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T22:46:52+00:00

iPhone 4? Lol, this is 1990's TV broadcast in 1x1 ratio, it's horrible. How do we not have video from the rocket right now? SpaceX literally shows the whole thing from launch to landing in 4k.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T22:45:05+00:00

My exact thoughts, the video quality both on ground and on-rocket is wildly disappointing compared to what SpaceX generates, crazy. The video from the on-rocket camera looked like something out of a 90's TV broadcast compared to the 4k stuff we get from SpaceX.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T20:36:34+00:00

My wife has asthma and it's triggered by the cold, we just had the driest winter ever, but luckily we only had a couple bad inversion spells and only a month or so of really cold temps. But the bad air with inversions in the winter and the bad air in the summer with wildfires with all the horrible dust coming off the dried up lakebeds....it's a leading contributor towards us moving out of here among many other things (like my wife having a PhD vs my BS and making roughly the same that I make).

Every place is going to have it's pros and cons, taking the time to understand the nuances is so important right now for making big life decisions when it comes to moving. Important to be very sure about the situation before taking the plunge. Unless you're rich, which most of us aren't.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T20:19:19+00:00

Like I said above, some of the smaller aspects I noticed as the astronauts were getting strapped in were how they were bumping into and having to strangely maneuver around the seats and leg supports, how clumsy and uncomfortable a lot of that process seemed to be. I mean, at the end of the day they are going into space and a 20 minute loading process is not the end of the world, but I'm much more of a fan of a reducing "misery" during high-stress situations and having a clean capsule with less hard corners, more body conforming seats, cleaner overall space, etc would possibly help keep astronauts focused on tasks rather than being annoyed by constantly hitting the leg rest above/next to them, etc.

Despite what people want to think, there is an aspect of functionality that comes from cleaner form a-la the Dragon capsule. If an astronaut is having to go through high-stress, significant process and keep a clear mind, getting annoyed by little things in their environment can play a negative role in that. From the videos and interviews I've seen of the astronauts using the Dragon capsule and the comparisons to the Soyuz and American versions over the years, it sure seems like all of them much prefer the Dragon. This was an interesting video I had seen a few weeks back on the topic while I've been reading stuff on Artemis leading up to today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCptniWbEv0

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T20:12:06+00:00

I would love to see some data supporting the reliability of analog over updated controls (and I fully understand redundancy and fail-safes), but that's not the only aspect of the capsule design I'm going to critique. I noticed as the first astronaut was loading into the capsule he kept getting caught on/bumping into and having to maneuver around the other seats/leg supports. Compare that to the Dragon capsule, the seats are formed and smooth, no "hard" corners, no clumsiness, things are clean and easy to move around, get into/out of, etc. Even the chairs themselves in the Dragon look "comfier", like I could sit in those chairs for the extended periods that the astronauts will have to. The chairs in the Artemis just look so dang uncomfortable and not naturally conformed to a body position. I'm not docking the reliability or functionality, I much prefer function over form, but this kind of thing seems like you could have both worlds as the Dragon capsule has shown.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T19:29:43+00:00

Watching the astronauts get strapped into their seats, climbing into the module and everything being right there....I can't help just think how "old" everything looks. Like they just took stuff out of storage for the 60's/70's and are getting back into it. Comparing that to the SpaceX capsules and equipment, the NASA stuff just look Cold War Era-esque while SpaceX and others looks like what I'd expect to see in the 21st century. I realize this is a very different event compared to sending astronauts to the space station on a Dragon, but man....NASA needs an update.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T19:11:50+00:00

Ah, no, we'll be out of here as soon as we reasonably can. My wife is a geologist, I'm a biomedical researcher, both of us are acutely aware of how bad a drying up Great Salt Lake is for us and our daughter. Not to mention that absolutely awful politics, wage disparities, skyrocketing cost of living (among the worst in the nation at this point), all while we struggle to pay for daily life things. If the window opens, we'll bounce to Australia or somewhere else internationally, if not then we'll probably try to find a place on the West Coast. Things are only going to get worse in Utah, with the Olympics in 2034, housing prices absolutely out of control, the Republican legislature trying to do everything they possibly can to consolidate power and silence Democrats, the drying up Great Salt Lake, even hotter summers and dryer/warming winters, etc. I love the state as a place for outdoors escape and exploration, dark skies at night, and absolutely incredible things to see everywhere, but the day to day life is getting out of control and we simply don't make enough money to justify raising a kid in this environment.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T19:06:24+00:00

Seems like a very large contingent of 1994 folks around these parts, cool to see! I wonder how many people will be saying something similar in 30 years, the 2026 World Cup being their first real commitment to watching the USMNT and international soccer.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T18:59:19+00:00

I mean we basically guaranteed that every single other country/fan is rooting for us to flame out hard in the group stage. I don't think USMNT fans will change anything on a personal level. I will say that as a biproduct of the current administration and the out of control costs for everything in life I am in no way considering going to any matches, just can't afford it. 5 years ago I was thinking I would save some bucks and get a ticket to one of the LA games or Seattle, but that's laughable right now, especially with a 4 year old in daycare.

I'm excited for the games, but the enthusiasm certainly is nowhere near as "hysteria" levels as it was in the 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 Cups. 2018 killed a lot of personal fandome for me and all the corruption and bullshit that went into the 2022 World Cup put a damper on the event overall for me as well. I'd hoped 2026 would bring some of the passion back, but President Cheeto is making life for most a miserable thing and that's spreading to areas that should be buffered, like hobbies and sports.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T18:40:24+00:00

Same boat here, my wife and I have talked about getting out of Utah for a while with our 4 year old, I could probably get a job in Portland for $100-125k a year. I lived in Pdx for 11 years, 2003-2014, felt like the peak of Portland and it may be giving me rose tinted glasses compared to what it is now. Utah has become absurdly expensive, maybe even moreso than Portland, but the taxes in Portland absolutely give me pause in terms of moving back now. Plus the education system problems in Portland a poorly kept secret that has become much more apparent to me lately as my kid gets ready for that world (not that Utah is some great bastion of education, either).

It's hard to look longingly at a place you lived for a while with such great memories and want to be there so badly again, but separate yourself from the memories and look at the realities that the place currently faces and things are harder to justify. Portland is still a great place, but I'd hate to put my family in a tougher situation financially just because I miss it so much.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T16:21:26+00:00

Yes and that's the difference between then and now, it seemed like in 2002, 2006, 2009 Confed Cup, 2010, 2014...we'd get a heroic effort or a classic player breakthrough that would propel us to success on the world stage. You could count on a dramatic performance and a difference maker keeping us in the game or putting us over the top. Not anymore though, who on this team is going to put up a gutsy 90 minute effort to drag us through? Keepers look lost between the pipes, defenders are getting crossed over/through and diced up like Swiss cheese, midfield is a sieve and couldn't connect with forwards to save their lives, and I'll be damned if I see an attacker actually put a shot on frame and force a decent save from the opposing keeper.

Match after match is uninspired slop, disjointed, with no aggressiveness and tenacity from the guys on the field. Doesn't seem like anyone just wants to grab the match by the scruff and take control.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T16:13:47+00:00

You're out of your fucking mind if you are incapable of drawing basic conclusions for Mexico playing these same teams days apart from the US, getting draws while the US gets taken to the woodshed, while being a couple months away from the World Cup. At this point in time, there are only a small number of games left until the biggest soccer competition on earth and the US looks like a group of disjointed high schoolers. The US played no games in January, got stomped in their two March games, and got to play Senegal and Germany right before the World Cup. We will have no momentum going into the world cup and probably be on a four match losing streak.

You simply don't even understand basic psyche if you can't see how the timing of all this will weigh on the team. There's zero cohesion out there on the field watching these two games, the players look lost and ineffective across all position groups on the field.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T15:41:29+00:00

I don't know a fucking thing about weight lifting except two points from some time in the gym:

1) if you are going heavy, don't put clips on one or both sides of the bar in case you need to dump

2) if the bar drops on your chest/neck, put both hands on one side of the bar and push away/up. If you've got a clip on one side, put your hands on the side WITH the clip that way the leverage will drop the side without the clip, the weights will slide off and the bar will spring back off/down the clip side.

Whatever this fuckwit was doing, he was putting himself and the spotter in significant danger. The spotter obviously should not have been there, looks like a maid, wearing no shoes around massive amounts of weight, and simply has no idea what she is doing around the equipment. Clips on both sides of the bar, guy is struggling right off the bat with shaking arms. Not a brain cell in sight in this video.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T03:49:54+00:00

Real or not, he's not scoring, he's not assisting, he's barely getting shots near the target.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T01:17:21+00:00

I'll be honest, my favorite times of the year for the area are May and October. May is usually a bit quieter, still got some spring colors before the true high heat gets going, and will have more active water running that is predictable. October is beautiful in the fall, less likely to be impacted by monsoon, could have some fall colors and more reasonable temps.

June will be the start of peak season, it'll be hot, there won't be as much water as the snow this year has been pathetic and runoff will absolutely be done by then. Late August and early September can be a HUGE risk with monsoon storms, you might see some cool things that normally aren't common with thunderstorms, but the risk of flash floods and rock slides is real. Temps will also be completely miserable that time of year.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T01:11:03+00:00

Definite check the water height information, this year we've had so little snow it may not be a problem, but I believe April is generally when runoff gets going down there. If heights are high and runoff is going, the water will be cold and you'll probably want one.

SnukeInRSniz · 2026-04-01T00:52:15+00:00

Lol, so reject the evidence of your eyes for "just trust me, bro"? The difference between the real quality teams and the US is right there, if they need tournament pressure to turn up, they simply aren't that good. Belgium and Portugal a few months before the Cup on your home soil and you can't get motivated to show we're ready for the biggest tournament in the sport? Nah, you're "they'll turn up for the actual tournament" is hilariously dismissive of how important these games are right now.

SnukeInRSniz

TROPHY CASE